Finland’s Norsepower wind propulsion solution, the Rotor Sail, has received the first-ever type approval design certificate granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system on-board a commercial ship.
DNV GL granted the type approval following a design assessment of Norsepower’s 30m x 5m Rotor Sail. The certification means that vessels operating with the Rotor Sail are technically capable of navigating all operational and environmental situations.
The Rotor Sail has independently verified fuel savings of up to 20%, and is a solution that could help the shipping industry meet IMO greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions reduction target by 2050.
The wind propulsion technology has to date been installed on 3 vessels, with over 35,000 hours of operation, achieving reported CO2 savings of more than 4,500 tons. Two of these solutions are installed on-board the Maersk Pelican LR2 Tanker.
Norsepower CEO Tuomas Riski commented: “We are very proud to be the first company to have type approval granted to an auxiliary wind propulsion system onboard a commercial ship. Having a type approval design certificate is very important to us. Clearly, it provides shipowners, operators, and charterers with a level of assurance when investing in the Rotor Sail Solution, but in the long term, it removes yet another hurdle to the realization of renewable wind energy propulsion systems at a scale that supports shipping’s transformation to a low carbon transport sector.”
Seppo Liukkonen, Principal Surveyor, DNV GL (centre), presenting the type approval design certificate to Jarkko Väinämö, Norsepower CTO (right), and Otto Valkeisenmäki, Norsepower Certification Engineer (left)
Geir Dugstad, director of ship classification and technical director, DNV GL, added: “To help reduce shipping’s environmental impact we will need many different fuel and technology options, which is why we were very pleased that Norsepower asked us to be part of this innovative wind propulsion project.”
Norsepower is also proud to announce that in February 2019 it was crowned the winner of the 2018 International Quality Innovation Award, in recognition of its Rotor Sail Solution technology’s ability to demonstrate positive environmental contributions for the global maritime community. Norsepower CEO Tuomas Riski described the award as a “prestigious accolade” that Norsepower’s team were humbled to receive.